Disclaimer: Seth and the Underground are mine. Noin and Zechs (and anyone else that belongs to Sotsu/Bandai) are not.

The Underground

The Storm Within

“So who is this new commission you’re supposedly going to kill?” Zechs was sitting on a futon in Noin’s living room, ramrod straight. Noin was in the bathroom, drying off after her shower. She wrapped herself in a body towel and went out by Zechs.

“Now let’s get this straight Zechs,” She rubbed her hair vigorously with a smaller towel. “There’s no supposedly about it. I am going to hunt her down, kill her as quickly as I can, get my money, and get out of the business simple as that.”

“You’re not serious?”

“Zechs,” Noin actually looked amused. “Repeat after me. I-am-an-assassin. I kill people. That’s my job.”

“I cannot believe how easily you can say those words.”

“Zechs,” Her voice was suddenly sharp. “Get over it. This is the last. Do you think I enjoy killing people?”

“You could have fooled me.”

Noin’s eyes suddenly darkened. “Don’t you dare say that.”

“What Storm?” He taunted. “Can’t take it? You say your big, tough words but do you mean them? You’re just as human as anyone else. You bleed, you cry, you die, just like anyone else. You know what I think? I think your big assassin thing is just because you couldn’t take it out in the real world.”

“You…” Storm growled and lunged. Zechs sprang up and, grabbing the front of her towel, slammed her down on the futon. Noin sat up in blind rage and lunged again. Zechs scooped her up and once again deposited her on the futon. But this time, before she could get up, he sat himself squarely on her stomach. Noin swung her hands up to box his ears but he batted them away and pinned her arms above her head.

She was now completely immobile except for her head and her legs, which she used to the fullest. Zechs shifted and pinned her legs down with one of his. Unfortunately, that brought his head closer to hers and her forehead connected squarely with his face. He jerked back sharply.

“Well you little devil,” He caged both her wrists and a good amount of her damp hair in his left hand and raised his right to his lip. Crimson blood tainted fingers when he pulled them away. “Demon child.” He lowered his head, kissed her -a savage kiss; possessive, demanding, insatiable- before she had a chance to resist.

“Zechs,” Noin’s tongue flicked out to where his blood now painted her lips. His hand deftly untied the knot that kept her towel around her. She looked at him like she was going to say more but halted uncertainly. His eyes were flashing, challenging her to say more, to say something to stop him.

“How does it feel Storm?” The words were spoken softly, dangerously so. “To be completely helpless? I could kill you now, if I wanted to.”

“Would you?” Noin could not completely keep the slight tremor from her voice. “Tell me straight out. Would you kill me or would you use me? Or maybe both?”

“Use you?” Zechs laughed harshly. “Now who’s not being straight? Would I rape you, is that what you mean? Do you think I would?”

“I don’t know anymore.”

“You do know. You’re just trying to make me prove myself to you.” He tilted his head and lowered his lips to her ear. “But here’s an even deeper question Noin. Would you try to stop me? If I did decide that I wanted you right here, right now and I let you go, would you try to stop me?”

He kissed her neck softly and slowly released her hands. Noin didn’t move.

Zechs smiled. He moved his kisses up to her lips and face, closing his eyes as he savored her…

It all happened in a blink. Noin shifted under him and lunged up on her right side. Zechs didn’t have time to react. A moment later, his breath whooshed from his lungs as he hit the hardwood floor. Eyes that were once closed with desire were now wide open in surprise, for instead of Noin being immobilized it was he who couldn’t move.

“Would I try to stop you?” She hissed. “Absolutely. Why? Because I’m not the person you think I am Zechs. You don’t know me any more than you know yourself.”

Then she was up, once again wrapping the towel around her body. She took a deep, calming breath as Zechs stood to face her. “Well,” He said. “It’s nice to know you haven’t lost all decency.”

“You just wait and see.”